The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-13
COOL PAUL MADISON.
THE YOUTHFUL FORGER AND BURG
LAR ARRAIGNED IN COURT.


Paul Madison, the seventeen year old
lad from Collierville, this county, who, it
will be remembered, came 10 this city sew
cral weeks ago and forged his mothers
name for $3.50 on a Front street firm with
whom she had an account, and was arrest
cd for it, but through his wronged mothers
kindness was not punished, but permitted
to go free only to become deeper entangled
in the meshes of the law a fow days there
after, was a%rraigned in the criminal
court last Monday on two charges
burglary and for carrying burglars
tools. The latter indictment was dis
missed, and on account of some tech
meal defect the first had to be recommit-
ted to the grand jury for revision.
The grand jury being in session the de-
feet in the indictment was readily obyiatcd
and returned into court. Yesterday after
noon Madison chained to the wife nun.
derer, William Mulligan, now on trial, was
brought from the jail to he rearraigned.
Several other prisoners werc brought along
for the same purpose or to be sentenced.
At 2 o'clock, when Mulligan's ease
was resumed, he was unhand-
cufred from Madison, the hand
cuffs being left on the latter. The prison.
crs when not on trial are kept in an ante
room of the court hall, and one OF the Grim
inal deputies there are two on duty in
the criminal courts presumed TO keep
careful watch over the prisoners, but they
failed to do 80 in this instance. Some time
during the session Of the court, between 2
and 430 o'clock, Madison walked
from that ante-room or prisoners
dock out into the open court
room, through the long hallway, down the
winding stairway and nj on to the street,
and was free. People were in the hall
ways and going about the court offices in
usual numbers, to be seen on any day
during those hours, but no one seems TO
have seen the criminal as he passed
from among them. 1t was as
cool and deliberate n thing
as was ever done in any court, and one
which a much older criminal than this
desperate youth would have hesitated TO
undertake, though they saw the oppor-
tunity. The deputy sherifis in charge OF
the court were Pierson and Colby. They
cannot account for Madison's escape in
any way. The fact is, he simply walked
by them. Up to q late hour last night he
had not been recaptured.
This indictment was the result Of young
Madison being caught in a store late
one night in Collierville, engaged in
an attempt TO effect an entrance
into the money safe. Some time ago.,
when the case was set for hearing, the
court appointed counsel for the youthful
prisoner. At the request Of the mother,
the attorney visited Collierville in order TO
get the full information in the case. Mrs.
Madison requested the attorney 10 see her
son and learn, il possible, what
he had done with the money
he had drawn on her good name, rs il was
all the actual cash she had, besides being
n widow with four other small children,
for whom she was compelled TO labor hard
TO support. III IL was possible, she hoped
10 recover the money or some portion OF
IL. The attorney went 10 see the Bon.
who was confined in Jail, and he confessed
that he had lost 500 OF the money in one
night at the gambling hell kept by
johnson & Balch, at the corner OF Main
and South streets. The attorney went to
see the keepers OF the dive, and told them
that he would give them until Saturday
last 30 refund the money TO the widowed
mother. since that time he has heard
nothing from themonly in an indirect way,
and 10 the effect that instead Of Madison
losing 500 in their infamous den, he
had won $500. The boys statement,
ever IL he is a felon, is sufficient contradict
ton to this claim. Besides, the cases are
few and far between where a seventeen
year old lad goes into a gambling house
with 500 and gets away with IL, either in
whole or in part, and the claim Of these
two men is hardly 10 be credited. No
gambling house claiming TO be in the least
honorable or decent would permit a mere
youth 10 play cards at their tables. The
boy accounted for $50 more Of the
money by saying that he had bought a set
OF furniture for the inmate Of n house Of
prostitution, at No. 500 Main street. This
furniture, the firm who sold II aitcrward
recovered, and refunded the price 10 Mn.
Madison. The balance Of the money no
said he had squandcred with low nsso-
ciates in saloons and catch-penny dives in
the city. The fate OF q felon awaits this
dcpavcd youth, and those who robbed
him OF the money Of which he had robbed
his widowed mother should be made to
bear the weight Of the law along with him.